10 years of IdeenExpo = 10 years of N&M in Hanover

Since premiering in 2007, IdeenExpo in Hanover has become the country's largest youth event for science and technology. Right from the very beginning, N&M has provided the technical infrastructure for the fair, and since that successful start the company has supported a wide range of customers with its own branch office in the city on the River Leine. That makes 2017 a double jubilee.

IdeenExpo started ten years ago in the German Pavilion at the Expo site. The goal of the initiative started by companies, associations and the State of Lower Saxony was to arouse young people's enthusiasm for science and technology. Since then, exciting experiments, hands-on activities and science shows have helped IdeenExpo to set record after record: this June over 360,000 came to Hanover during the nine days of the event.

With IdeenExpo now taking up three exhibition halls plus the outdoor area, the German Pavilion today houses the offices of Neumann&Müller Veranstaltungstechnik. Now the country's largest youth event for aspects pertaining to STEM professions, the first fair in Hanover was realised by technicians from N&M's branch office in Hamburg. The company now has an office of its own in the city on the Leine, which was also established in 2007. Branch manager Andreas Platte and his team offer their services in the fields of corporate events, conferences and congresses, while also providing event technology for other fairs.

As far as IdeenExpo is concerned, the focal point of N&M's work has shifted since the early days. As attendance figures have grown, so has the need for safety measures to protect the stream of young visitors. One core task was to realise a complex PA system for emergency announcements. Project manager Thomas Schäfer and his team designed a redundant glass-fibre network that can be used to exchange not only audio signals but also data and video. The signals converge in the central control room, for which N&M is also responsible.

Visitors are not only attracted by the exhibits and workshops in the halls but also by the numerous stage shows and music acts in the outdoor area. "Die Fantastischen 4" started the ball rolling on the opening evening with the first of three open-air concerts. The N&M team took advantage of the occasion to celebrate the tenth anniversary with colleagues and business associates. Nine days later, the end of the 2017 IdeenExpo was marked by a firework display after "Cro" had taken to the stage in front of an audience of 13,000.

Photo: (From left) Thomas Schäfer, Andreas Platte, Jan Wochnik, Isabell Dahm and Fabian Koch

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